Hacking Homelessness

As cities grow, so do the number of homeless

Homelessness is a mark of failure for communities in providing basic security. Based on national reports, it’s estimated that no less than 150 million people, or about 2 percent of the world’s population, are homeless. However, about 1.6 billion, more than 20 percent of the world’s population, may lack adequate housing.

Such statistics come with a caveat. Obtaining accurate numbers is difficult, mostly due to wild variations in definitions around the globe. Also, measuring homelessness is costly: Cities may under-count due to embarrassment while individuals avoid officials due to shame and fear of harassment.

However, the continuation of homelessness, especially among the wealthy countries, reflects denial and the lack of political will to address poverty and many other issues. Homeless men, women, and children will likely remain an accepted feature of modern urban life for the foreseeable future.

Homelessness is a deepening crisis on the streets of America

Homeless America defies easy characterization. It has more residents than some rural states—more than 550,000 Americans experience homelessness on a typical night, and 1.4 million spend some time in a shelter in a given year.

California has the largest population of people experiencing homelessness, with nearly 130,000, 90,000 of whom are unsheltered, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The city of San Francisco alone had a 30% increase in homelessness since 2015. New York has approximately 91,000, and Florida has over 31,000.

Given these challenges, efforts to tackle homelessness through increased state involvement in the housing sector have not been able to yield the intended results. This strategy amounts to simply throwing money at the problem.

Reasons for homelessness include shortages of affordable housing, privatization of civic services, investment speculation in housing, unplanned and rapid urbanization, as well as poverty, unemployment, and family breakdown.

This holiday season, let us hack for a great cause and produce a solution with the potential to make a real difference. Let us do our bit for a sustainable tomorrow, where millions do not have to live without the basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, and shelter.